New Animal Discovered!

             Recently, a group of scientists have discovered a previously though to be extinct animal.  It doesn’t fit into any of the current classes that animals are sorted into.  It has fur like a mammal, is cold-blooded, has feathery wings, and razor sharp teeth.  Scientists are baffled by what exactly this creature is, and there doesn’t seem to be any answers coming.

            This creature, which they have decided to call the Mixta Animalis (Latin for mixed animal), was discovered underground in Peru.  It was the only one they found although there was evidence that there may have been more in hiding.  It is hostile towards humans, and its gender is still undetermined.

            Animal Rights groups are concerned that the animal will be abused in captivity, and are protesting the idea of it living anywhere but its original environment.  Scientists are defending that they have a claim on the land that they found the creature, and therefor the animal as well.  They promise to keep Mixta Animalis safe and happy as long as they have him under their care.

            The scientists plan to do various tests on Mixta Animalis to investigate what it is.  The rest of the world waits anxiously to see this oddity, and soon children will want one for a pet.  I still have my doubts it will ever be truly domesticated.  It will be a long time before anyone can go see the animal safely.

 

The CCSA Ghost (April Fools)

             Have you heard of the ghost that haunts the halls of Cab Calloway?  No?  Apparently, a transparent ghoul has been scaring students for quite a while.   We have many eye witness accounts that say the same thing.

            The ghost appears to be female and fairly young.  She is able to pick up objects, which makes her a poltergeist.  Blood pours out of her eyes as she walks, and low moans come from her chest.  The ghost seems to be relatively harmless. 

            “I have experienced it!” says Meredith Lindsey, a firm believer in the supernatural. 

            “I can’t believe that I saw a real ghost!  It was so scary!” claims an anonymous source.

            Although a large portion of the student body believes that this ghost is real, not everyone is entirely convinced.  Many doubt the credibility of the students and teachers that claim to have seen our resident specter.  To dispel this doubt I have had an interview with the ghost.

Q: What is your name?

A: Mooooonnnnaaa

Q: Why are you here?

A: Mooooonnnnnaaa

Q: Yes, I know Mona is your name.  Why are you here?

A: Mooonnnaaa

Q: Right.  Is this a bad time?

A: Moooonnnaaa

            While this interview was very awkward, the fact that I have spoken to Mona must tell you just how real this ghost is.  Don’t worry about any injuries though.  Mona seems perfectly friendly, even if she is a little simple –minded.  We should just think of her as we would any other student that wanders the halls.  CCSA is known for our accepting nature.  We wouldn’t want to ruin that. 

Why Do We Yawn?

            Why exactly do people yawn?  No one actually knows, although there are many theories.  All we really know about yawning is that everyone does it, whether you’re one or one hundred years old.  There are too many theories to go through at this moment, so I’ll cover my favorites.

            One theory suggests that we yawn because we aren’t getting enough oxygen.  According to this theory people don’t breathe as much when they’re bored or tired.  Yawning supposedly increases the amount of oxygen you get.  The issue here is that increasing the amount of oxygen has never actually been shown to decrease yawning.

            The next theory is that yawning stretches the lungs.  It’s supposed to make you feel more awake by increasing heart rate.  Stretching is also connected to this because it stretches the joints, which also increases your heart rate.

            No one is really sure about our reason for yawning, but we do know that they’re contagious in some way.  When you see someone yawn, you can’t help but do the same.  Even mentioning yawns can make you yawn.  I hope this article hasn’t caused you too many. 

Unusual Supernatural Creatures

             You’ve probably heard of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, mummies, and zombies.  On the other hand, you probably haven’t heard of the more unusual supernatural creatures around.  You’d be surprised at how much you don’t know.

            One of the most unusual creatures I’ve heard about is the Akaname from Japanese folklore.  Its name literally means filth-licker.  While there isn’t much on the Akaname, it is traditionally a creature that sneaks into your bathroom and licks the filth off the floor and bathtub.

            Let me introduce the Chichevache from Medieval Times.  This carnivorous creature resembles a thin, starving cow with the face of a human.  The Chichevache eats women who are obedient and faithful to their husband.  According to legend it was always starving because of the lack of good women.

            The last creature I’ll share with you is from Japanese folklore.  The Konaki-jiji takes the form of a baby and cries until someone picks it up.  Then, it increases its weight until the person who is carrying it is crushed to death.  In some versions the Konaki-jiji can also take the form of an old man. 

            The world of the supernatural is indeed a lot more varied then you’d think.  I’ve only informed on three of the less well-known creatures, but there are a lot more.  I’m sure you could find out more if you wanted to. 

The Ten Deadliest Animals

   The world is crawling with deadly animals, and some of them are ones you’d never expect.  You may have wondered which animals are the most dangerous.  I’ll tell you the ten deadliest animals in the world.

        

10.  Poison Dart Frog:  The poison dart Frog sits at number ten because of the toxin that is secreted from their body.  The toxin is poisonous enough to kill ten humans.  They are brightly colored to let predators know they are dangerous.

9.   Cape Buffalo:  The cape buffalo is up two point eight meters long, one point seven meters high, and can weigh one point five tons.  They have razor sharp horns that they will use if provoked.  Even the kings of the jungle, the lions, avoid these buffalos.

8.   Polar Bear:  Polar bears are the most carnivorous bears.  They eat reindeer, walruses, whales, elephant seals, and other polar bears.  This arctic animal can slice a human head right off with one powerful swipe.

7.  Elephant:  These creatures are certainly not as friendly as you may think.  The giant African Elephant weighs around sixteen tons.  They kill over five hundred people a year by stomping and impaling.

6.  Saltwater Crocodile:  The saltwater crocodile is at number six.  He is the largest living lizard typically between four point eight and seven meters long. The saltwater crocodile will kill things up to the size of a water buffalo.  A crocodile can move as fast as a dolphin in water.

5.  African Lion:  The African lion is the largest big cat besides the tiger, and then only slightly.  This big cat kills around seventy humans a year in Tanzania.  They weigh up to half a ton.

4.  Great White Shark:  This huge shark is one of the most feared animals in the ocean.  They can get up to six meters, and weigh six tons.  Great white sharks actually don’t usually kill humans.  More people die from dog attacks then shark attacks.

3.  Box Jellyfish:  This jellyfish is around the size of a salad bowl, and is known to have up to sixty tentacles.  Every fifteen-foot tentacle has enough venom to kill fifty people.  They have killed about five thousand five hundred sixty-seven since 1884.

2.  Asian Cobra:  The Asian cobra actually doesn’t have the deadliest venom, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve its spot as number two. This cobra is about a meter long. He causes the death of fifty thousand a year, by snakebite.

 1.  Mosquito:  You may be shocked that a tiny bug is the deadliest animal around.  But, the mosquito transfers malaria, and is therefore responsible for the death of two million people.  Mosquitos also transfer other diseases to people.  There are deaths in even countries that barely have mosquitos, although not many.  The mosquito deserves the place number one.  No other animal that deserves it more.

Spontaneous Combustion

          Have you ever heard of spontaneous combustion?  It’s basically when something or someone suddenly bursts into flames.  I’m going to focus on SHC (spontaneous human combustion). 

         The torso and head being extremely burnt characterizes spontaneous human combustion, while the feet and hands may have no burns at all.  In many of the cases the victim’s houses are completely unharmed, and sometimes even their clothes come out unscathed.  So, can people suddenly burst into flames? Scientists say no.

         Scientists have a theory of what SHC really is.  They call it the wick effect.  In the human body there is fat, which happens to be flammable.  When a cigarette, or something along those lines, lights a person, the body fat slowly melts, seeping into the clothes.  Then the fire can keep burning slowly with the fat as the fuel.  That could be why the victims’ items are left intact.

         Honestly, the idea of spontaneous combustion is highly unlikely.  Scientists have plenty of other reasons for the burnt remains. It could have been criminal. Many of the victims were fell asleep with some smoking device.  Some were also thought to be under the influence of alcohol.  Although spontaneous combustion hasn’t been disproven there isn’t that much to prove it either.    

Hypnotism Uncovered

            I’m sure you’ve heard of hypnotism.  You may have seen a show before where a hypnotist makes his volunteers do things they’d never do normally, such as act like a chicken.  Many people wonder how hypnotism works, and why people act like they do when hypnotized.

            Hypnotism is being in a trance like state where you have heightened imagination, are relaxed, and will obey most suggestions.  Although many people think of hypnotism involving a sort of sleep it’s actually very different.  When you are hypnotized you are alert.  It’s closer to daydreaming than sleeping.

            Most people believe that hypnotism is a way that accesses the subconscious mind directly.  Usually, you are only aware of your conscious mind’s thoughts, but all it really does is process the subconscious mind’s thoughts and ideas.  In hypnotism your conscious mind takes a backseat to your subconscious.

            That explains why people are so uninhibited when hypnotized.  The subconscious is the part of the brain that’s in charge of impulses and imagination.  The conscious mind is a filter that acts as the brakes to keep all your thoughts from running wild.  That’s why the hypnotized people will do bizarre things because it seems as if the subconscious is sending the message.  When the hypnotist gives you suggestions you react instantly just like you do to your own thoughts.

            Hypnotism is still a mystery for scientists.  We can’t be completely sure that it does work like that, but it’s the theory that makes the most sense. Hypnotism is an amazing thing, and it could definitely benefit humankind. 

The Blood Countess

            You may have heard of Elizabeth of Bathory, otherwise known as the Blood Countess. She was born into an important family of Hungarian nobility. She’s one of the most notorious female serial killers in history.  She and four accomplices killed and tortured hundreds of girls. The four accomplices were convicted of torturing and killing eighty girls. Elizabeth on the other hand was never tried. She was instead locked in a castle for her remaining four years of life.

            The Blood Countess once slapped her maid for a minor offense. Blood spurted out of the maid’s nose and onto the Countess. She thought her skin looked younger in the places that had been touched by blood. This started a long line of maids who had their wrists slit. Elizabeth bathed in their blood.

            Elizabeth of Bathory certainly had strange views on cosmetics. Whether she was evil or mentally unbalanced doesn’t really matter. The Blood Countess’ brutal blood baths are truly the most extreme way to stay looking young I’ve ever heard of.

The Mary Celeste

            Have you heard of the Mary Celeste, the ship that’s crew disappeared? It’s considered the greatest maritime mystery of all time. In my opinion, it’s for a good reason.

            The Mary Celeste was discovered on December 4, 1872 without the crew and passengers. It appeared to be abandoned. The weather was fine, and the crew was able seamen, so no one could figure out why the crew had gone missing. The ship had been at sea for one month, and still had six months worth of food on the ship. All the cargo and personal possessions of the crew were untouched. The crew was never heard from again.

            People have been trying to figure out this mystery for centuries, and there are no clear answers. There have been theories including alcoholic fumes, underwater earthquakes, waterspouts, sea monsters, and aliens.  They are possible, but not likely.

            Although this is considered one of the most interesting mysteries of the sea, the world probably wouldn’t have known or cared if not for Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle, a man struggling to establish himself as a writer. The story has grown and been changed. So, who really knows what happened to the Mary Celeste?  I’d have to say no one.

The Real Dracula

            I’m sure you’ve heard of Dracula. He’s the bloodsucking vampire in Bram Stoker’s novel. But, did you know that there was a real Dracula. No, he wasn’t a vampire, but his history is at least as bloody as Bram Stoker’s vampire.

            His name was Vlad the Third, Prince of Wallachia. Vlad is usually referred to as Vlad the Impaler or just Dracula. His father’s name was Vlad Dracul. Dracul means dragon. So, Vlad the Impaler would be called Dracula. It means little dragon, or little devil, which is very appropriate.

            Vlad betrayed basically every alliance he ever had. All he cared about was keeping his throne when he finally became king. He betrayed the Transylvanian Saxons, the Turks, and the Roman Catholic Church. Vlad really did only care about his own power. He had many nobles killed to ensure he wouldn’t be challenge.

            Vlad really did cause a lot of blood. He created a forest of impaled. Thousand of people were impaled on sticks and put outside to rot. It is actually said that he once feasted with the impaled corpses around him. Vlad worked peasants to death. His form of torture was a horse attached to each of the victim’s limbs, and then slowly forcing a stake into their body. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t rather be bitten by a vampire than be left to rot on a stick? I think that I’d much rather face Bram Stoker’s monster. At least it’s less messy.

CCSA: Middle School Musical (April Fools)

         Lights! Camera! Action! Warner Bros. is making a movie called CCSA: Middle School Musical and it is going to be amazing! It comes to theaters on April 25, 2012. We owe this all to our very own seventh graders, who wrote forty seven letters to the Kevin Tsujihara, the President of Warner Bros. He took an interest in her descriptions of our school, and chose Chase Lurito, a brand new talent, to direct CCSA: Middle School Musical.

         Mr. Lurito has never directed a movie before but, critics call him “a directing prodigy,” and, “a mad genius,” Mr. Lurito promises that the movie will be fabulous. It better be. We want our school to be represented properly.

         Chase Lurito graduated from Movie Making Universities in 2008. MMU is a special school for future directors. Each student is given a private tutor that they can talk to over the Internet. Chase was tutored by Tim Burton, creator of Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman Returns, and Edward Scissorhands. It’s no wonder that Lurito is called a prodigy.

         It’s really exciting that Cab Calloway is going to be in a movie. I’m sure that Mr. Lurito will do a wonderful job on the movie, and we should all go out and see it when it comes out.

Toondoo

           Have you been on toondoo.com? It is a website where anyone can create a comic. You can make a single comic, or a strip. You can also make comic books. It’s an interesting website and you should check it out.

          Many people visit toondoo and create comics, but you don’t have to make them. Anyone can go and look at the creations of others. You can be entertained for quite awhile. It’s an interesting experience for visual artists to see different styles of art.

          Oh, you don’t have to use the comic characters they provide for you to use. You can design your own using parts or draw your own. It can be easier to create a character similar to a real person when you upload a photo for reference.

          This website is easy and entertaining when you’re bored. You might like it. So, why not try it?  

Death Whispers in My Ear

By: Rebecca Davis

Death whispers in my ear.

I face him,

With no fear.

We both know it’s time to go.

I look back,

To say goodbye,

And then we leave,

Death and I.

I don’t feel sad.

There is no need.

I don’t feel mad.

Just cold numbness.

I promise you it’s not a lie.

And then we go,

Death and I.

I love you all.

You know it’s true.

But everyone, answers to Death’s call.

Oh well, I guess,

This is goodbye.

And then we depart,

Death and I.

Did you know...

20: Cockroaches can live for 10 days without their heads.

19: Three hundred and fifteen entries in the 1996 Webster’s Dictionary were misspelled.

18: There are as many chickens on the earth as humans.

17: About 75 acres of pizza are eaten in the U. S. everyday.

6: If you eat too many carrots you turn orange.

15: Sherlock Holmes never said “Elementary, my dear Watson.”

14: If you put a drop of liquor on a scorpion, it will go mad and sting itself to death.

13: Bats always turn left when exiting out of a cave.

12: Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

11: Honey is bee vomit.

10: After you die your hair still grows for a couple of months.

9: A Neanderthal’s brain is bigger than yours.

8: If a snake is born with two heads, they will fight each other for food.

7: The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 feet.

6:  A law in Kansas states that any person walking across the highway at night needs to wear tail lights.

5: Usually people fear spiders more than death.

4: Most lipstick contains fish scales.

3: A snail can sleep for three years.

2: Paper money is actually made from cotton.

1: Crocodiles swallow stones to dive deeper. 

Dream Theory

Why do we dream? While it’s a simple enough question there isn’t any clear answer. There are many theories but none have been proven. Then again scientists have only just figured out the purpose of sleep.

                 One theory of why we dream is that we are processing memories without making our emotions aroused and to assure we do not suffer any trauma. Another theory is that they are representations of unconscious thoughts and desires releasing. One of my favorite theories is that dreams are a sort of clean up in the brain. Getting rid of all the clutter is basically what that means.

Another interesting theory is that dreaming is a sort of psychotherapy so we can understand and process things in a safe environment away from threats. One of the newest theories is that he activation of the brain makes these weird connection and then it is led by the dreamer’s emotions.

Untitled

I tote my heart around,

In my big black bag.

It bumps, thuds, pounding.

I tore it out so I wouldn’t feel the ache.

I kept it away,

So that it wouldn’t break.

What is Cleverbot?

            So, have you heard of cleverbot? It’s something that has been spreading in popularity at Cab Calloway. Especially with Comm. students. What is cleverbot? Well, it’s a sort of “robot” that answers anything you write correctly.  Apparently, you can have long interesting conversations with the computer that looks back on everything you have written.  Kelsey Dennison said that “It’s really cool how it takes what people said before and uses it as its answer, but it is sort of creepy.”

            Okay, then. To the students it’s an amazing entertainment that can be extremely fun, but what about teachers? What do they think? Well, Mr. Mayo, our middle school Comm. Arts teacher, probably sees the most use of it by students, since students have access to the computers in his class. He says, “I know that students are getting on there when they should be working.” That will probably be the reaction from most of the teachers.

            What is cleverbot? Is it a harmless, but entertaining program or is it distracting students from what needs to be done? You decide.

Fairy Tale Adaption

  We’ve all seen Disney movies. Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and all the rest. But, did you know that so many of those beloved fairy tales you think you know are completely inaccurate. Disney seems to edit out some important stuff from stories. I do understand it though. Some of the material is a little gruesome for a Disney movie.

  For example, did you know that in the original version of Pinocchio our favorite little cricket gets murdered by Pinocchio himself? Or that in the real version of The Little Mermaid she has get her tongue cut out in exchange for her legs. That and that the prince chooses to marry another girl and our main character dies and turns into sea foam.  In Snow White the Wicked Queen attempts to strangle her (with body lace), poison her (with a comb), and (as we all know) with an enchanted apple. Then at the end of the story the Queen gets forced into red- hot metal shoes, so she dances until she drops dead. Pleasant, isn’t it?

  The real versions of the fairy tales we think we know are completely incorrect. There are many movies that I haven’t covered. This isn’t just limited to Disney movies though. Almost every fairy tale you’ve ever heard is inaccurate as well. In the Three Little Pigs the last pig resists the temptation to leave his house for three days. Then the wolf attempts to go down the chimney and lands in a boiling kettle. The third pig eats the wolf along with his brothers who are still in the wolf’s stomach. So, in conclusion the third pig is actually a cannibal. In Rumplestiltskin he rips himself in half! Rapunzel gets sent off to a desert and her prince gets thorns in his eyes and becomes blind.

  So, I guess that these fairy tales are changed for good reasons. I mean you don’t want to scar young children. But, I personally prefer the original tales. What do you think?

Chilean Miners Trapped

Chilean Miners Trapped

By:  Rebecca Davis

      Thirty-three miners trapped in a copper mine when the roof collapsed. Currently they have no way of contacting anyone. They have been trapped since August 5^th. So, the miners also have no idea that it will probably take up to four months to get them out.

  All supplies are being sent to them from a sort of tube, including food, pills to keep them hydrated, and medicine. They already had some supplies that last for 72 hours. So, they most likely won’t die from thirst, hunger, or lack of oxygen, which is good news.

But, psychologically there could be a problem. Geoff Workman, the man who spent 105 days living underground, says that

the best thing to for the minors to keep up their psychological health is to keep up their routines. Exercising is apparently essential for physical and mental health. Mental health is everything in this case.

Mr. Workman also says that they are lucky to be trapped together. From his past experience he knows it will be an asset because when some of them get depressed the others will be able to support them.

Unfortunately, all we can do is wait and hope that the miners will be rescued soon.